COUNCILLORS have reacted with dismay to the news that two in every four trains will not run on the Oldham loop line this autumn because of leaves on the line.

COUNCILLORS have reacted with dismay to the news that two in every four trains will not run on the Oldham loop line this autumn because of leaves on the line.

It is the third year running that the situation has occurred and councillors are annoyed that the operator, Northern Rail, appears to have thrown in the towel particularly early this year.

They are also far from impressed with the fact that Northern Rail continues to pick up a Government subsidy despite offering a reduced service for such a large part of the year.

Cllr Richard Knowles, a long time critic of the arrangements, said: "I find this quite scandalous. There was a 40 per cent reduction in the service in the autumn in 2004 and 2005 and now we learn it is going to happen this year and possibly throughout the whole nine-year franchise.

"Leaves fall every year but they still receive a subsidy despite running a reduced service."

Cllr Howard Sykes said: "How are we going to persuade people to use public transport when, for a quarter of the year, half the trains won't be running. The trains that will be running won't have extra carriages which will mean people having to stand.

"The scandal is that public money is being used to provide a subsidy for a service that is to be reduced by half."

Cllr Brian Ames agreed that the situation was unacceptable and borough councillors - of all political persuasions - decided at the last meeting of the full council to ask Oldham's three MPs to put pressure on the Government to come up with a solution.

The Advertiser contacted Northern Rail and a spokesman merely confirmed the situation. He said: "There will be a reduction from four services an hour to two services an hour from the end of September to the beginning of December affecting Shaw, Crompton and Oldham."